Mohave County miner., 1887-01-02
VILLAas3to= rHg MooyI3.
resshed on tire Very Taps ~ usgh ~ess,
the Huts-- plot urs.e,us P~opIe

=
re'shssi ON tire vsry Tap. ~ u'sh ~ssss
The Hass--piciars-qu P~epse.
o. all the Indian VILLAGES of the ~oa'h.
west. those NJ the Moqnis are by far
the niost pictures qn-. There are seven
of them. eli tn setner. and all are p.rcheJ
on the. very tors Of , .gh n,esas. which
are separatsi BY q few miles VI open
country. but which ara all IN eight 81
any of the towns. Tie settlement that
IN hest known. and that IL i,,ore of .,
yiaitad. consists OF thrvs VILLAGES. buas
in close proximity 10 one another. and
appearing from distance like group.
Of swsllow-nesss settled np,n the top ri
hn abruptly risins ciif. Tas second
mesa also contains three distinct viii
lages: while the thir.l has only one
town. in which, however. there IL the
}erIsest : yAspnIa upGnnuan1au&.iaai-
tivenc~s OF habits among the people.
Tie tribe numbers about 2 500 souls. AZ
nearly as can be estimated. and Is com.
parativeiy wealthy. The property OF the
penp'e consists OF large herds OF sheep
and flock. of goats. which feel upon the
nutritious grasses Of the reservation.
The villages are composed Of small
. usr~ huts. built OF stone. and covered
with hsevy beams. which support
layer Of earth: and the houses are pied
r'gether., one on top Of the other. with
exactly The same irregularity with which
achild would make pile OF blocks.
Some Of il,s residences are uilt directly
on the edge of the clitf. while others face
an inner plaza or. court There are usu-
ally three tiers Of houses. rising with
many angles almost ~ a point. and lad
derr lead from roof to ROOT. The interior
OF the homes Is far more comfortable
than one expects b, find. after gazing at
the dnIlb,ied exteriors. They are dlFcIy
ligh,ei. Ia he rtir~. and law stndslrd but
are scrupulously neat and delightfully."-
cool. What light there Is comes through
the open doorway. which m W he Ia the
side or in the roof o. tire abolo. The
Hoor is of adobe. carefully swept and the
walls of the same material are painted
white. Tho rule OF one room to Il house
Is rarely broken. and an entire family
lives in an apartment that seems. to a
stranger. hardly large enough for . SIN
cle person. ..
Still practising their ancient forms OF
religion, the people lead quiet and un-
eveutful lives. and cling tenaciously
to the curtoIns Of centuries ago. Meal
In made nv grinding the corn bet ween
heavy s'one.. and breai Is cooked by
buryipg the dough In hot ashes. The
women are the hardest workers. They
nre often exceedingly handsome. having
fully developed figures. large. lustrous
eyes and dcomplexions that give evidence
Of perfect health. They dress in gowns
made Of cairo. that reach just below the
knee and cover the upper ,a'rsion Of the
body. and they are rpf,Urwntiy modest.
Cnildren wear no clothes until they ar.
Ton 8 years of age. but play about the
village i'm absolute nakedness. Taken
as whole. the Moqfis are picturesque
people. They ars supposed tn i,e able 10
rad the hieroglypbics on their ancient
pottery. Self supporting. an having q
form of government that Is strictly their
own. that has not changed for centuries.
they have so far adopted but few of the
customs Of civilization. and continue 10
live their primitive aid interesting life.
- z iwards Roberts in Overland
Monthly.